The Rings of Zemoch
by Emurlee
Summary: An EleniumTamuli based fic. Yukana Hoshi, a young half-Styric, is chosen to go on a very urgent quest for the Four Rings of Zemoch. Also chosen to be on the quest are the Champions of the Four Orders...
1. Chapter 1

*Disclaimer* I do not own any of these characters except Yuka and Damare (and possibly a few more…). All other characters, places and Gods belong to the almighty David Eddings.

The rain poured down.

Her horse was sweating. She had been riding hard through the day. The horse needed a rest, but she was nearly at the city of Acie in Deira, her destination. The sun had just set, the slate grey clouds only faintly stained with orange, as the city gates came into view.

"Business?" the gatekeeper enquired sleepily. He was apparently only just awake for business.

"I am here to deliver a message to the Preceptor of the Alcione Knights," she said breathlessly. "The message is from…"

"Alright, young lass, I didn't ask for your life story," the keeper grunted. "In y' go." The heavy gates swung open. "Take my advice," he called to her as she trotted her horse through, "and get to a nice tavern somewhere to get dry and warm."

"My message cannot wait," she replied without turning around.

The Alcione chapterhouse lay not far inside the city walls. It was a large, grey stone building, looking very commanding and cold against a backdrop of the pretty town. Two wide-awake sentries stood guard at the entrance.

"State your name and business," the right-hand guard said crisply as she dismounted. The other looked curiously at her as she pulled herself to her full height, which wasn't all that tall.

"I have a message for your Preceptor," she said boldly, realising all too late that her master hadn't actually told her the name of the man who was to receive her message. "I speak for the Pandion Knights of Elenia."

"We know where the Pandions are from," snapped the guard on the right. "What is your name? We cannot allow you to pass unless you tell us, and we make sure you are trustworthy." He was speaking very slowly, and used short, simple words. She narrowed her eyes.

"Just because I am Styric does not mean you have to treat me like an ignoramus," she snapped. "I bring an urgent message from my master, Lady Kaeli, and from the Preceptor of the Pandion Knights."

The two guards looked at each other uncertainly.

"We know of the Lady Kaeli," the left-hand one said nervously.

"Good," the girl said abruptly. "Then you must let me pass. I must speak with your Preceptor this instant."

She pulled her robe tighter around her slim figure. It was very cold, and she was soaked to the skin.

"Remove your hood," the right-hand guard said suddenly. She blinked. "Do as I say!" he ordered. "Now!"

Reluctantly, she pulled back her hood and smoothed her black hair down. The left-hand knight had gone pale. The right-hand one gazed at her a moment, then nodded slowly.

"Go ahead," he grunted. "Your face is known to the Alcione Knights."

She smiled gently.

"That is a relief," she said very softly. "I wouldn't have liked to be out here all night in this rain. Would one of you kindly escort me to your Preceptor?"

The left guard swallowed. "We are not permitted to leave our post, Lady, but if you go in, there are bound to be a number of knights willing to take you." The right-hand guard was opening the gate for her. She inclined her head to the pair and entered the chapterhouse.

There was a small paved courtyard, which she crossed, seeing nobody. She climbed a small flight of stairs and pushed open the heavy doors; the weight was almost too much for her.

The interior of the Alcione chapterhouse was warm and pleasantly lit, with candles and torches burning gently in many places. She was feeling slightly lost when a knight approached: a tall man with massive shoulders and his face in shadow.

"Do you need any help?" he asked her, his voice kind. She felt suddenly overwhelmed, and very small, by the presence of this large knight.

"I-I wish to see the Preceptor," she stammered. "I have a message for him…" She bit her lip and looked away, ashamed of her unexpectedly weak and feeble voice.

"I'll take you to him," the knight said calmly, not seeming to notice her timidity. "Come with me, Lady." She did so, following him up some red-carpeted stairs and along a wide corridor with a floor of smooth beech. At the end of the corridor was a large door, on which the knight knocked.

"A Styric lady to see you, my Lord," he called.

"Send her in," a gravelly voice replied. The knight turned to her.

"Go on in, Lady," he said with a smile. Then he hesitated. "Do you have a name?" he asked after a second. She inclined her head gently.

"My name is Yukana Hoshi," she said very softly, before smiling faintly at the knight and entering the room of the Preceptor of the Alcione Knights.

He was sitting in an armchair in front of a roaring fire, a strong, brown haired, bearded man. "Well, if it isn't the Lady Yukana," he said appraisingly. She nodded to him, smiling politely. "Do sit down, my Lady," he said quickly, jumping up from his chair. "You're wet through." Gratefully, Yuka sat in the soft chair and felt the warmth of the fire heating her chilled body.

"Thankyou, my Lord," she murmured. "You are most kind to an unimportant girl like myself."

"Unimportant? Nonsense, girl." The Preceptor pulled up a chair for himself. "You have a message for me?" he pressed, before it slipped his mind.

"I do," Yuka said quietly, pulling a small piece of folded paper out of an inside pocket in her robe. She handed it to the Preceptor, who unfolded it and read it through several times. Then he waved it at her.

"Did you read this?" he demanded. Anxious, Yuka shook her head.

"N-no, my Lord," she said, "my Lady Kaeli said I was not to. I did not read it, sir, and I don't know if I could have understood it if I did…"

"You are like the Lady Sephrenia," he said, sounding relieved. "You do not read Elenic?"

"Not well, my Lord," she said softly. "I have trouble…"

"Very well, Lady Yukana. Can I get you a warm drink? It's bitterly cold outside."

"A cup of tea would be very pleasant, if you have it, my Lord," she whispered, shivering.

"Of course I have it," he replied with a smile. He got up and rang a bell on the wall. Immediately a servant entered the room.

"Can I help, my Lord?" the attendant asked. The Preceptor nodded.

"Get this young lady a pot of tea. And I'd like a mug of ale, if you please." The servant bowed his head gravely and left the room. "It will only be a few minutes, Lady Yukana," he said to Yuka. "I hope you do not mind waiting?"

"Not at all," replied the half-Styric. "The fire is already warming me." The Preceptor sat again.

"Do you know of the current situation in Elenia?" he asked her. Yuka hesitated.

"I know that all is running smoothly, my Lord, although the Princess Kaijia is still very sick. Doctors do not hold out much hope for her, I am afraid." The Princess Kaijia was three years old, a tiny girl born very prematurely, and had always been a very sickly. Her sister, the Princess Danae, was the first child of Queen Ehlana and Prince Sparhawk.

"I know of the Princess's condition," he said. "You realise, of course, that this child is special?" Yuka blinked.

"Well… of course she's special, being the Princess…" She trailed off, knowing somehow that that was not what the Preceptor meant.

"That is not the only reason. I am permitted to tell you this. I believe everyone of some importance-" Yuka blushed furiously at that- "should be informed of this. You know of the poisons Darestim and Jalenum?"

"Yes," she replied. "The two incurable poisons. Darestim is found in Rendor; Jalenum on the Isle of Valesia, am I right?"

"You are, Lady Yukana. Those two are the only poisons without a natural cure. Well, Lady Kaeli, your mentor, has discovered, during a spell to find out what was wrong with Princess Kaijia, that the child carries in her blood the cure to these two poisons. We none of us know how it come to be there, only that the antidote in her blood is what is making her so sick."

"No!" Yuka exclaimed, astounded. "An antidote!? Are they going to be able to get it out of her?"

"That's the crisis we are facing, my Lady. If the antidote that is in its turn poisoning the Princess is not removed, she will die, and so the antidote to the incurable poisons will be lost for God knows how long. But we have no method of removing it from the child's blood. There are no Styric spells capable of doing such a thing. Bhelliom could have done it, I expect, but it has gone, and we have seen nothing from it since. There are rumours…" He thought for a minute. "A spear in Tamuli, rings in Zemoch, ah… a possibly a bracelet in Pelosia… and a clear stone in a necklace in Rendor, across the vast desert in lands almost unknown to us Elenes. Those are the objects infused with the power of the Gods that could possibly cure Princess Kaijia. We know of no others."


	2. Chapter 2

**XD Thanks for the reviews!! Jeez, it's been a long time, I really should read the Sapphire Rose again. :P Thanks for the nit-picking, too. Hey, they don't have all the technology we have, perhaps the physicians were wrong about Ehlana? Wishful thinking. Never mind. I'll sort it out when I have the time. :P And sorry if you don't like the names. I was kinda happy with them, myself.**

The servant entered, with the tea and ale. The Preceptor poured out a cup of tea and handed it to Yuka, while the girl sat in thoughtful silence. Then she spoke, after sipping the hot drink. "Is the antidote to the two poisons really all that necessary?" she asked softly. "Is the Princess… I hate myself for saying this, but is her life so important as to risk losing others? She is a child, and a sickly one at that. She might not survive to five years old, even if we do manage to cure her of her ailment." She swallowed. "I'm sorry. It was a horrible thing to say."

"True, Lady Yukana, it was horrible, but to be fair, it was truthful. The poisons are not common enough to risk the lives of many, and as you say, Princess Kaijia is a weak, feeble girl. But you see…" The Preceptor stopped, unsure of whether to tell her. "But you see, Lady, it is very important to many that we _do_ get the antidote. Are you well informed in the news of other countries?"

Regretfully, Yuka shook her head. "I am not, my Lord. I know only of affairs in Elenia, and, to a lesser extent, in Deira here, due to my older brother living here."

"I see. Then you will not have heard of the illness of the Crown Princess of Arcium, Morwyn, and the malady of Kenelm, the young Prince of Thalesia and the only heir to the throne?" Yuka's mouth dropped open.

"They are sick!? How?"

"Both have been administered the poison Jalenum," the Preceptor said darkly. "You are aware of the effects of Jalenum?" Speechlessly, Yuka nodded. Jalenum was not like the other incurable, Darestim, in that it killed painfully over a period of time that could last as long as two years. "Princess Morwyn is not far into her illness- she perhaps has a year or more left of life. Prince Kenelm was administered the poison some six months ago, and it is only recently that Thalesian physicians admitted to us that it was poison. He is already far into the disease, and probably does not have long left- although he is a very strong boy for his age."

"Wh-why are you telling me this?" stammered Yuka in a whisper.

"You speak for the Pandion Knights, yes?" The girl nodded wordlessly. "Our Kingdom of Deira is the only one of the four allies not to be affected by some form of illness. We are very afraid that one of our Royals will be next, although we are keeping them under very secure conditions. Thalesia and Arcium have already agreed to send out their Champions, as was done before, and search for the lost Rings of Zemoch, the objects that have the most likely chance of succeeding in curing the Princess Kaijia _and_ being capable of extracting the antidote so to heal the sick Prince and Crown Princess. Queen Ehlana has also agreed to send her Champion."

"Prince Sparhawk?!" gasped Yuka, amazed. She found it hard to believe that any Queen would want to risk her beloved in a quest like this, especially when they had two beautiful children together.

"Yes," replied the Preceptor of the Alcione Knights. "My King is currently debating on whether to send his Champion, too. The four have worked together before. Ehlana also promises to send another two Pandions who have repeatedly proven themselves in battle. All in all, even if the King does not wish to risk his Champion, I think they have a good chance of succeeding."

"Indeed," Yuka agreed in a whisper. "But that still doesn't explain why you think I deserve to know this, my Lord…"

"You're right. I'm coming to it. There are four of these Rings in total. They were of Styric origin, you understand, captured by the Zemochs centuries ago. However, it wasn't all that simple. The ruler of Zemoch at that time was a renegade Styric who had married into the royal family. When the King, Crown Princess and the Princess, this Styric's wife, all died under strange circumstances, he was next in line for the throne, seeing as the King and Princess had no legitimate siblings. He himself captured these rings, and bore them back to his palace. But then… something happened. Nobody truly knows what. All we know is, this Styric died, and Otha took over. Now, Otha could not handle these rings, and it was centuries later before he realised why- he was not a Styric. The four Rings were forged by Styrics, the stones cut up out of the ground and carved by Styrics. There was a Styric spell on them that meant no Elene, Tamul, Atan or any other race could touch or wield the rings without suffering incredibly. Several Zemochs did try- they died horrible, agonising deaths the moment they put on one ring. Otha knew better than to touch the rings without checking first, sadly- we could have been saved an awful lot of trouble had he put one on. So you see, Lady Yukana, the travellers need a Styric with them to bear the Rings home."

Yuka, seeing where the Alcione Preceptor was going, began to shake uncontrollably.

"Y-y-you mean…?" she stammered, leaving the sentence hanging. He nodded gravely. "B-but… surely, there are hundreds of Styrics… any one of them could go…"

"Lady Yukana, think. There are three Styrics close enough to be of help. The Lady Kaeli, the resident Styric here, Lady Damare, and yourself. We cannot afford to waste time by riding to Styricum and finding a Styric willing to aid us. Lady Kaeli will be more than occupied educating the numerous Pandion Knights. Damare suffers from a condition that renders her unable to ride or walk around for long periods of time. That leaves only you, Lady Yukana."

"I-I…" she faltered, before sighing. "I suppose I have no choice. It's not that I _want_ all those people to die," she added quickly, "it's just that I've never been on a big quest before." She looked at her lap. "I… I am scared, my Lord."

The big Deiran smiled kindly. "Don't worry, Lady. The quest is quite straightforward. We know where two of the rings are, already. The others should not be hard to track down. You should be setting out soon. If, and it is a rather big if, my King decides to send out his Champion, you can travel down with him. He'll look after you. You should be meeting in Chyrellos, when this quest gets started." Yuka smiled shakily. "Good girl," he said gently.

"I… I will do it, my Lord," she said softly. "But I must say… I am very young, only a child. I do not know all the Styric spells, and my grasp of both the Styric and the Elene language is poor."

"You seem to speak Elene pretty well to me," the Alcione objected.

"Th-thankyou, my Lord," she said gratefully. "But I do stumble."

"You do, Lady Yukana, but it is nothing uncommon. For a young Styric lady like yourself, you have grasped the language surprisingly well." Yuka blushed and looked away. The Preceptor smiled. "It's true."

A bell rang deeply somewhere in the city. The Deiran jumped. "Is it that late already?" he asked, almost to himself. "I apologise. Lady Yuka, you must be exhausted." Yuka had to admit, her eyelids were starting to droop. "You may stay here for the night. The Lady Damare will let you sleep in the room adjoining hers." He got up and rang a bell again; within moments a servant entered.

"Yes, my Lord?" he asked politely. It was not the same young man who had brought Yuka's tea.

"Escort this young lady down to the Lady Damare's quarters, please," the Preceptor said. "Inform the Lady that this girl requires sleep, and ask if she would be willing to allow Yuka to rest in her adjoining room. Also, if Lady Damare does not have any spare, please bring Lady Yuka some night-clothes, and take her clothes to be washed and dried." The servant nodded, and smiled at Yuka.

"Yes, my Lord," he said. "My Lady, please accompany me down to the chambers of the Styric, Lady Damare." Yuka inclined her head and followed him out of the room.

He led her along a corridor then up some stairs, and along another corridor. They stopped outside a small door, and the assistant knocked.

"What is it?" a soft female voice replied.

"My Lady, I apologise for disturbing you at this time of night," the servant said through the door. "I have a request from my Lord Preceptor. We have an honourable Styric guest, and the Preceptor would very much like it if you allowed her to stay in the room adjoining yours."

The door opened. Standing there was a willowy, black-haired woman dressed in a white night-robe. She smiled at Yuka, who smiled timidly in return.

"Of course," the Lady Damare said. "Do come in, dear. Don't worry," she addressed the servant, "I can provide her with night things."

"I am to take her clothes down for washing," he said slightly shyly. Lady Damare nodded.

"I will leave them in a bag outside this room," she said. "Come in." She moved aside for Yuka to enter. The servant bowed and left, and Damare closed the door behind her.

"I- I am grateful for your hospitality, my Lady," Yuka said quietly, bowing to Lady Damare. The Styric smiled.

"It's no trouble at all, child," she said in her native language of Styric. "No need to be so formal, sister, for that is what we are." Yuka nodded quickly in agreement. "Ah," sighed Damare in pleasure. "Well come now, do you have a name, sister?"

"M-my name is Yukana Hoshi," she said, also in Styric, "but I'm generally known as Yuka."

"An unusual name," noted the Lady, "but fitting. It's a lovely name, sister. I am Damare." She held out her hands, palm up.

"Damare," murmured Yuka, kissing the lady's palms as was proper in Styric culture.

"Yuka," the Lady said gently. She smiled brightly. "You look exhausted, sister. Do sit down. Wait one moment- I will find night-clothes for you." She motioned towards a small armchair, and hurried into another room. Yuka sat, grateful, feeling as if her legs would give way if she didn't sit. All the excitement of the evening had exhausted her more.


	3. Chapter 3

__

**Long chapter. XD Thanks for the reviews Ara, SweetLee, SomeDude and 'Codex, I really appreciate them. And, traditional Frei style, I'm managed to mess up the chapter order. :P Sorry about that; hopefully it's sorted out now. Cheers for pointing it out to me. ^_~ And… there will be pairings, if all goes to plan. ^_^ **

Damare returned, bearing soft white night-robes made of a smooth, warm material that was common in Styricum. Yuka changed, and placed her clothes in a bag that was left outside the room.

"Would you like to go to bed, right away?" Damare asked her. "I would greatly like to talk for a while with you."

"If it is your wish, my Lady, I will remain here," Yuka murmured politely.

"My dear Yuka. Please, enough with the formalities. We are sisters now. Please do call me simply 'Damare'."

"My Lady… I have been brought up addressing the older and wiser politely. It seems wrong to me to call someone as wise as you by their first name."

Damare laughed, her laughter high and beautiful. "Oh, sister! I may be old, but I do not think I am any wiser than you. But, I don't mind, if you really wish to address me formally." Yuka smiled.

"I do, my Lady Damare." Damare laughed again, then settled into a chair.

"Are you the girl chosen to travel with the Champions of the Four Orders?" she asked softly. Yuka nodded nervously.

"I was only told today," she said hesitantly. "I've never been on a big quest like that before."

"You'll be fine, dear sister," Damare said kindly. "I know of the Four Rings of Zemoch, though truly they belong to Styricum. Would you like to hear about their appearance? I take it you know the story of their past." Yuka nodded eagerly.

"Well. One of them, the First Ring, is a male, forged from silver. His stone is blue, and a wonderful royal blue at that. His powers concern water. The Second Ring is female. She has a bright red stone, her band is. pure gold, and her powers are fire. She is said to be the most beautiful Ring of all. The Third Ring is a male, and he is made from white gold, with a wonderful, lustrous green stone- his powers are of the earth and all that grows. And the final, youngest Ring is the Fourth Ring. She was made last, and so her powers are weakest. Her stone is yellow, and her band made of an odd metal found only in Styricum, that has no name in the Elene language. Its name in Styricum is 'eneiaea' which Elenes have trouble getting their stiff tongues around." Yuka giggled nervously. Indeed, the language of Styric, which the two women were still speaking, was much more flexible and complicated than Elene. "It is the colour of black, which makes the Fourth Ring's lovely stone stand out greatly. Her powers concern the air, and the sky, and the stars at night. She is the kindest Ring."

"M-my Lady," Yuka faltered, "you speak of them as if they have personalities of their own…"

"But they do, sister dear," replied Damare. "The First Ring is short-tempered, and when he is angry, he is cruel. The Second Ring is stiff and formal, but she has a kind heart underneath the icy exterior. She is also very fair and just. Her personality seems like that of a Queen. The Third Ring is very soft-hearted, and possibly slightly weak. He is forgetful, and lenient, and he deplores violence of any kind. I am certain he will be willing to help with our quest. And the final Ring, the Fourth Ring, the youngest Ring, is sweet and kind, and very gentle. It appears to us nowadays that the First and Second are the rulers. They have the most power, and their personalities are that of monarchs."

"D-do you, by any chance, know where they are, my Lady?" Yuka asked hesitantly. Damare laughed.

"No more than the rulers of Eosia do, sister. It is believed the First Ring lies in the bay near Gaka Dorit in Zemoch- although he always expressed a dislike for salt water. However a contrasting legend says he rests in Lake Verka, on the border between Zemoch and Cammoria.. The Third Ring is rumoured to sleep in a small forest that surrounds the spring where the River Ganda wells up. Nobody knows the exact whereabouts the Second Ring, or where the Fourth Ring lies either, though there are a few obscure legends concerning the Second. The females have hidden themselves well."

"Themselves?" asked Yuka curiously.

"Yes, sister. They hid themselves, after the destruction of Otha. You know Zemoch was totally ravaged by the death of their ruler? Well, the Rings used that as an excuse to hide. Perhaps one day they will decide to return. Until then, we will need to hunt them out ourselves. Tell me, sister," she said suddenly, "which God do you worship?"

"I am a child of Setras," she said, a tone of defence in her voice. Damare smiled.

"As am I, sister, which makes our bond ever stronger," she said, sounding very happy. "He will aid you in your quest." Yuka nodded.

"I will pray he does. I have been loyal to him from birth." She yawned suddenly, and apologised.

"That's alright, sister. You need rest. It is getting late. Go to bed now, dear Yuka." She motioned with her hand towards a door to Yuka's left. "You will find a bed and washing things in there, dear. Sleep well, my sister." Yuka yawned again.

"You too, dear sister," she said quietly. Damare smiled.

"Good-night, Yuka."

"Good-night, Damare." And the door closed as Yuka went into the room, washed, fell onto the bed and slept deeply.

She awoke the next morning to dull sunlight and a knocking on her door. Running her fingers through her long black hair, she got up and opened the door.

Lady Damare stood there.

"Sister dear," she said. "Good morning. The Preceptor wishes to see you as soon as possible- he has news for you about the quest." Yuka nodded sleepily. The Lady handed her the bag containing her clean Styric robes. "Get dressed quickly, sister." Yuka nodded again and closed the door.

She washed and dressed in a hurry, and was wide awake when she was done. Placing the night-clothes in a bag which she laid on the bed, she left the room. Damare waited.

"Good morning," she said again. "Did you sleep well, sister?"

"Very well, thankyou, my Lady," replied Yuka. "Does the Preceptor want me now?"

"Yes," Damare answered. "Someone will escort you to his rooms, if you need it?"

"I- I would like that," she replied nervously. "I think… I would get lost if I had to go there alone."

"Alright. One moment." Damare went to the main door of her chambers and opened it. "You! Excuse me…" Outside, Yuka saw a knight turn around. Damare flushed slightly. "My apologies. I did not recognise you by the back of your head." The knight laughed.

"I don't mind, my Lady. Can I help you at all?"

"Yes. Would you mind terribly if I asked you to take this young lady up to the Preceptor?"

"Not at all," he replied. Damare turned to Yuka.

"Go ahead, sister. He'll take you." Damare stepped out of the doorway and let Yuka through. The large knight laughed again.

"If it isn't the Lady Yukana!" he exclaimed. "Fancy seeing you again." After a moment, Yuka recognised him as the first Alcione knight she had met, the night before. "This way, ma'am." Yuka smiled a goodbye to Damare and followed the knight again.

"Please, sir…" she said, hurrying to keep up with his long strides, "you can call me Yuka. I'm not used to being referred to as 'lady' or 'ma'am'."

"I'd feel awkward," he replied. "Perhaps when I know you better, I'll be able to do that, but not right now." He led her along the corridor.

"I- I won't be staying long," she said quietly. He turned to grin at her.

"I know that. But we'll have plenty of opportunity to get to know each other, seeing as I'll be coming with you when you leave."

She stopped dead in her tracks. The knight laughed at her expression. "Well, don't look so horrified. I'm not that offensive, am I?" Yuka blinked a few times then shook her head.

"N-no, it's not that," she stumbled. "I just didn't know…"

"Should've told you." He nodded to her. "Sir Tynian at your service." She flushed.

"Oh, _please_ don't do that. I absolutely _hate_ it when people tell me they're at my service."

"Alright, if you don't like it. I'm Tynian, the King's Champion." Yuka smiled shyly.

"It's nice to meet you… again, Sir Tynian."

"And you, Lady Yuka. We'd better get going," he noted, "or the Preceptor's going to have my head, no matter what the King says." Yuka giggled nervously and followed him up the long stairs. Then she recognised the corridor that led to the Preceptor's rooms. Near the end, Tynian stopped and knocked on the door.

"Lady Yukana is here, Sir," he called.

"About time too, Tynian!" the Preceptor replied, sounding annoyed. "Well come on, send the girl in!" Tynian opened the door and motioned for Yuka to go in. She smiled timidly before entering, and the door shut softly behind her.

The Preceptor stood up and bowed his head to her. "Good morning, Lady Yuka. Do sit down." Her chair from the night before was still there by the fire. Yuka complied.

"Good morning, sir," she said quietly.

"And the same to you, Yuka." He used her first name, and what's more, her nickname. That put her more at ease. "I see you've met your travelling companion?"

"Yes," she replied, slightly breathlessly. "Does that mean the King has decided to send his Champion along?"

"It does," responded the Preceptor. "Sir Tynian is to ride with you to Chyrellos, the meeting place. This quest has been authorised by the Church, but only just, and there has been some opposition, so you will not be stopping long in the Holy City. You will meet the other knights privately, in an designated inn, and you will set out as soon as everyone has arrived and has rested a short time. Some of the Knights have quite a way to travel, you understand. Don't worry," he added reassuringly, "Tynian is a very good man. He'll look after you."

She smiled nervously, not entirely reassured, although Tynian seemed very nice. The Preceptor sighed. "I also have some bad news. The first daughter of our King, the seven-year-old Princess of Deira, has fallen sick. Reports suggest it was our mystery poisoner again." Yuka stifled a gasp. "This person is very slippery. Now, four lives hang in the balance, one for each of the Four. How he- or she- managed to get into the palace to poison them is beyond me. He must be a genius- or at the least, extremely small."

"The poor child…" Yuka breathed. "What is her name?"

"Minele," replied the Preceptor. "She was taken sick yesterday night, and the symptoms are identical to those of a Jalenum poisoning. There is nothing anybody can do until the antidote is extracted from Princess Kaijia."

"Nothing? Nothing at all, no way to ease the suffering of those inflicted with the poison?" 

"Physicians in Elenia are the best in Eosia. Reports say that the King of Arcium is having his wife moved to the Elene Royal Palace so that Queen Ehlana's physicians can care for her. Apparently Thalesia is considering moving Prince Kenelm too. The King is debating with himself whether to move Princess Minele, but I expect he will."

"Doesn't it strike you as odd," Yuka said after a thoughtful pause, "that three of the four Royals who have been taken sick are children under the age of ten? Kenelm is nine years old, isn't he?"

"He is indeed. It does seem strange. But then you look at Morwyn- she's young, but not a child. I think the poisoner is targeting the most important person. Morwyn is the heir to the Arcian throne, since at the moment she has no children. Kenelm, as the oldest son, is the heir to the Thalesian throne, and Minele is the heir to the Deiran throne, since the Crown Princess is incapable of having any more children. Our mystery poisoner managed to take the most important Royal in each country, and until those rings are found, we cannot do anything about it."

"Then there is no time to lose," Yuka said determinedly. "When do we set out?"

"The Genidian Champion set out yesterday," replied the Preceptor. "If you and Tynian leave today, he'll catch up with you and you can travel together- it'll be much safer with the three of you. The three Elenians won't start for a few days, while the Arcian Champion will leave tomorrow if not today. All in all, you should arrive at about the same time. Do you have a decent horse?" Yuka nodded firmly, thinking of the small horse she had ridden hard to Acie.

"Yes," she replied, "she was taken and stabled when I arrived."

"Is she a war-horse?"

"Of course not!" exclaimed the half-Styric. "She's my own. She knows when to run and when to stay, and she's fast, but she's no war-horse."

"Ah, well. I know for a fact that Tynian's new horse is a vicious brute in a fight. He apparently took a dislike to a stablehand, and neatly nipped off his little finger."

"Oh, my," Yuka said anxiously. "Was he alright?"

"The horse or the boy? The finger was lost, and the horse wasn't well for the next few days. But they're both fine now."

"I'm staying away from _that_ horse," she muttered.

"Good plan. I wouldn't go too near it, either. Well, that's all I have to say today. If you can find Tynian, consult with him, and aim to leave after the midday meal some time, alright?"

"I understand, sir," she replied, standing up to leave.

"Tynian shouldn't be too hard to find," the Preceptor added. "He's big enough. Just ask the nearest knight." Yuka nodded.

"Goodbye, my Lord. Thankyou."

"Goodbye, Yuka, and good luck."

Yuka left the room.


	4. Chapter 4

****

**Yet another disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in David Eddings's books. The others are all mine.**

Later on, after the noon meal, she saddled and mounted her small black horse. Nearby, Sir Tynian mounted his massive, fierce war-horse. Yuka was a little bit nervous of that beast.

"Are you ready?" he asked her. She nodded firmly. "Follow me," he said. "Stay close." He pressed his heels into his horse's flanks, and moved forward. As they left the stables, Lady Damare hurried towards them. Tynian reined in the huge stallion, and Yuka did the same.

"Yuka," Damare gasped, "sister. I forgot to give this to you." She held out a sparkling blue gemstone hanging on a silver chain. "As a reminder. Look into it if you need to consult me about anything, although I doubt you will. Farewell, sister." Yuka clipped on the beautiful pendant.

"Goodbye, sister," she whispered. Damare smiled.

"We will meet again. Be careful. Stay with Sir Tynian. Don't get yourself killed." Yuka nodded firmly. "And _you_," Damare turned to Tynian, who looked uncomfortable, "take care of my sister. I'll wring your neck if anything happens to her." Tynian gulped.

"Yes, ma'am," he agreed. "I'll look after her."

"Good boy," Damare said calmly. "Take care of yourselves. Go on, stop lingering! Go!" Tynian nodded and spurred the vicious brown horse forward. Yuka gazed at her Styric sister before smiling and following her knight-companion.

The quest had truly begun, and she was getting more and more nervous about it.

They moved along at a steady pace. Tynian seemed at first a bit worried about Yuka's riding skills, but she was an expert and soon showed him that. They rode throughout the day, stopped every few hours to give the horses a rest, and when night fell at last they made camp outside a small forest. Yuka slept half the night while her companion watched; just after midnight they changed. By morning Yuka, not used to staying up half the night, was tired out and had trouble staying awake that day. Tynian, considerate, noticed, and after a midday meal offered to let her sit in front of him so she could sleep, while he led her horse. She agreed, and slept fitfully until, later that night, they made camp. She took first watch then slept the rest of the night, so woke refreshed the next morning. And so it went on.

Just less than a week after setting out, there was a shout that echoed through the mountains around. "Tynian!" the voice yelled. Yuka's horse, frightened out of her wits by the massive voice, reared and pawed the air with her front hooves. Yuka struggled to hang on and calm the horse. Sir Tynian whipped his horse around and stared: just coming over a mound in the earth was a huge figure on a horse to match. Then a horn blew loudly.

Yuka, managing at last to subdue her horse, turned and gazed at the mounted figure. "Who is it, Sir Tynian?" she asked nervously.

"It's Ulath, from Thalesia," Tynian replied. "I'd been wondering when he'd catch up." The big Deiran then called a greeting to his friend. The two waited until the blond Thalesian caught up with them.

"Good to see you," Tynian said, shaking Ulath's hand warmly. The Genidian Knight grinned, then looked at Yuka, who had positioned herself and her horse well back out of the way, a little bit nervous of this huge man.

"And who's this?" he asked. "Are you to travel with us?"

"I-I am, Sir Ulath," she replied anxiously. The Genidian champion was huge, and made her feel very small. He nodded to her, then moved forward, took her hands and kissed her palms. She flushed. "Oh, Sir Ulath, you don't have to do that…" she said nervously. "I- I'm not used to…"

"Apologies," he replied. "I guess, since we're going to have to be friends, I'd better drop the formalities." Yuka smiled gratefully.

"Let's push on?" Tynian suggested. "We've still got a few days to go before we reach Chyrellos."

The journey became much more interesting now that Ulath had joined them. The Genidian was quiet, but Yuka found he had some interesting stories, and since she'd never been to Thalesia in her life, she listened avidly. She had discovered also that Tynian had some exciting tales to tell, but it seemed he had been at the centre of every major battle in recent history. The half-Styric, never much for a history lesson, found that the two knights made it all much more interesting, especially with their combined sense of humour. And within a few days that flashed by, the large free city of Chyrellos, the Holy City, came into view over the horizon.

"Do you think the other knights will be there already?" Yuka asked nervously.

"Bevier, probably," Tynian replied over the sound of the horse's hooves. "Kalten, no. And since Sparhawk, Khalad and Berit will be travelling with him, they won't, either."

"How much are you betting that Kalten manages to get Bevier drunk, this time round?" Ulath said drolly.

"Nothing," Tynian replied, "because he won't. He never does. Bevier won't touch anything except maybe one tankard of Arcian Red."

"You're right," Ulath agreed, "but I'm still going to wager money that Kalten succeeds this time round. Kalten can be very, very persuasive."

"Then you're more insane than I thought," Tynian replied, "and we'd better press on." He urged his horse into a canter, and the other two did the same.

They reached the large gates of Chyrellos a few minutes later.


	5. Chapter 5

Because of the presence of Church Knights, they were admitted instantly by a rather dull-eyed guard.

"Ever been to Chyrellos before?" Tynian asked Yuka conversationally.

"Once," she replied, "a long time ago. I barely remember it." She gazed around. "It's bigger than I remember," she admitted. "I was only small when I came with my eldest brother…" She paused. "Just before he…died." Tynian blinked. Yuka swallowed. "Sorry. I shouldn't dwell on it. I'm sorry."

"There's the inn," Ulath said, tactfully changing the subject. They dismounted and handed the horses over to a stableboy. Yuka was careful to warn the poor boy about Tynian's horse. The hand gulped and led the beast away at arm's length. Then Yuka followed the knights into the tap-room.

It was smoky, smelly and noisy, but warm and strangely homely. The knights looked about for a second, before Tynian grinned, nudged Ulath and pointed. Yuka saw a young man, an Arcian by the looks of him, sitting at a table alone looking uncomfortable, a mug of something in front of him. She followed her travelling companions over to the table.

"Well, Bevier," drawled Ulath, "not drunk, I see? What a surprise." The man jumped and stared at the knights, then grinned.

"You startled me," he accused. "Well, sit down, then." They did so. Tynian hailed a busty bar-wench and ordered tankards of ale for him and Ulath, and some Arcian Red wine for Yuka.

"Bevier, this is Yukana, our young travelling companion," Tynian introduced. Yuka smiled shyly.

"Hello," she said timidly.

"Hello, my Lady," Bevier replied politely. "Are you well?"

"I am, thankyou, Sir Bevier," she answered softly, shy of this formal young knight. "And yourself?"

"I am in good health, thankyou, my Lady," he responded, still very formal. Tynian hit him on the arm.

"Don't be so stiff!" he said. "She's going to be with us for a long time. You're going to have to be more friendly with her."

"Well, I'm _sorry_," he replied tensely. "I'm not very good with… you know." Tynian nodded knowledgeably.

"I do know, Bevier. I do." The drinks arrived. Yuka sipped her wine, grateful for an excuse not to talk. These knights were all very big and slightly frightening, although Tynian was nice. Ulath seemed alright too, although he was very silent so she hadn't got much of a chance to know him. And Bevier was… odd. Pleasant enough, but odd. Very formal, and polite. She hoped she could get to know them all better during the journey.

Absently, her hand strayed to the necklace Damare had given her, and the blue stone flashed inside with a black flame.

Yuka went to bed late that night, after she began to feel a little bit dizzy. Well, more than just a little bit dizzy. Not much of a talker, the half-Styric had been sipping Arcian Red for half the night to avoid conversation with her companions. She really regretted it.

The inn was quite large. She had a small room across the hall from her companions. It was plainly decorated, with a few pieces of furniture and heavy curtains over the window. She undressed and got into her soft night-clothes, and climbed into bed, feeling a little bit sick and faint. When she looked at the dark ceiling, it seemed to spin just a little bit.

__

Am I drunk? I maybe did drink a tiny bit too much…

There was raucous laughter from downstairs.

__

Haha. Not as much as them. Ulath does seem like the type to get drunk. Sounds like they're having fun… she thought wistfully. _I wish I had a better stomach for alcohol._

She lay in the dark for some hours, dozing off and waking again with a start. The fourth time she woke, she was sure it was because there was a sound from outside her room. Her body clock told her it was past midnight, and even the bar downstairs was silent…

There. A definite creaking sound, such as one would make shifting weight from one foot to the other. She lay still, trembling slightly. She had always been afraid of ghosts and the like, and the mysterious person outside seemed like a prime suspect to be a wandering spirit.

After about fifteen minutes of lying in fear and hearing the creaking, she plucked up the courage to get out of bed and pad almost silently to the door, picking up her candle as she did so. When she got there, she hesitated a minute before opening the door and thrusting the candle out.

There was a clink of chain mail as someone jumped in surprise. Yuka stared, holding the candle out in front of her.

"Sir _Bevier_?!" she gasped, startled. "You woke me. Is something the matter?"

The knight had gone scarlet. "N-no, my Lady, nothing…"

"Then why…?" She stopped, seeing his face. "Never mind. Go to bed, Sir Bevier." She smiled at him, and he faltered a weak smile back. "Good night," she whispered, as he turned and walked a little way down the corridor to his room.

"Good night, Lady," he replied, disappearing through his door. Yuka sighed and retreated into her own room.

__

What was that about? Perhaps he wanted to talk to me about something? She sighed. It was too late to think about things like that.

She didn't dream that night.


	6. Chapter 6

*_Oh, I love writing this story XD. Well, had a bit of writer's block but I'm over the worst now so should be back on track soon. Meanwhile, next chapter.*_

****

Disclaimer: Don't own Eddings, don't own any of the characters that he created. But Yuka is mine. So is Damare. I think… most of the others belong to David Eddings.

~o~

The next morning was grey and dull, with overcast skies that threatened rain. Yuka stood at her window for a while after washing and dressing, inhaling the smoky Chyrellos air- it was better than the stuffy air inside the inn. Then she left the room.

Just down the corridor, she suddenly felt like she was going to faint. Her head spinning, she sat down abruptly against the wall and leaned her head back, gulping deep breaths of air and praying she wasn't going to be sick or pass out. As the world settled back into place, she heard voices.

"I only went and made a complete ass out of myself," said the first. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, but she didn't think she could stand without fainting, and she couldn't help but hear.

"What did you do?" sighed the second. Tynian?!

"I heard some men talking about how they hated Styrics, just before you arrived," replied the other, and Yuka realised it was Sir Bevier. "I was concerned for Lady Yuka's safety, especially after I saw the looks those men were giving her when you _did_ arrive."

"You didn't," Tynian said, disbelieving. "You stood guard outside her room, didn't you?!"

"Don't make it worse," Bevier sighed. "Although it couldn't get much worse, really. She woke up and found me. Couldn't be worse than that."

"It could," Tynian pointed out. "If she knew the reason. She's a good girl. She probably just thought you wanted to speak to her."

"I suppose," Bevier replied, "but…"

Yuka didn't hear the rest. Her face flaming, she picked herself up and left, ashamed and unhappy.

The taproom was quiet, almost empty. She positioned herself at a table and waited in silence for her companions.

The outside door opened, and three people came in, looking around. "I suppose it _is_ a bit early," one said, a tall, blue-eyed young man. "They're probably not up yet."

"I expect that's it," another replied. Yuka knew him. She knew all three.

As the trio gazed around the taproom, she raised one hand and waved it timidly. The third knight, a large blond, grinned at her and nudged his companions.

"Someone's up and about early. If I'm not mistaken, that's our very own Lady Yukana over in the corner." He strode over, followed by his friends, and took a seat at the table Yuka had taken.

"Hello, Your Majesty, Sir Kalten, Sir Berit," she said shyly. The broken-nosed Prince Consort sighed.

"Yuka, I've told you and told you. Just Sparhawk is fine. We've known each other for long enough now, surely."

"It'll be a lot longer, Your Majesty" she informed him. "I've known Sir Berit for almost fifteen years, and I'm still calling him Sir." She dropped the formalities- after all, she knew all these knights well. "Where's Khalad?"

"He's helping the stableboy with the horses," Kalten said. Yuka laughed shyly.

"I suppose most stablehands need help with old Faran," she said. "He must be getting near retirement age."

"Not yet," Sparhawk replied. "He's still perfectly healthy. Besides, my daughter would not be happy if I got rid of him." He grinned. "Where're the others?"

"Sleeping, as far as I know," Yuka lied quickly. "I haven't seen them this morning." She thought of something. "You knew I'd be here, didn't you?"

The knights looked sheepish. "Why didn't you tell me?!" Yuka demanded, then blushed. "Sorry. But I got such a surprise when I was told I'd be going."

"We knew," Kalten said. "Sparhawk got strict orders from Darellon not to tell you."

"Darellon?" she asked, not sure she knew that man.

"You mean… You went through all those meeting with him without knowing his name?" Yuka blushed more.

"The Alcione Preceptor?"

"That's him," Kalten replied, grinning.

"Lady Kaeli didn't tell me his name! I was forced to just call him "my Lord" the whole time."

"It could have been much worse," Berit pointed out. "He could have wanted to be on first-name terms." The half-Styric giggled.

"What are we laughing about?" a new voice asked from over Berit's shoulder.

"Khalad!!" cried Yuka in delight. Her family and Khalad's family were old friends. "It's wonderful to see you! How are you?"

"I'm fine," he replied, sitting down. "It hasn't been that long, you know."

"I know. It seems long," she said fondly. He grinned a bit nervously.

"I'll get some drinks," Sparhawk said, standing.

"It's a bit early, no?" Yuka commented. "I'll come too." She followed him to the bar and waited for the barman to come over.

"Sir Sparhawk," she said quietly. "Might I ask how your daughter is?"

"Kaijia?" he asked. "No change, I'm afraid. Hopefully we can heal her. Ehlana is very upset about it all."

"I'm sorry to hear it," she replied. "Speaking of the Queen… I don't mean to intrude, but the word was she was barren after Princess Danae…"

Sparhawk looked at her sharply, and sighed.

"You're a Styric. I suppose it's alright to tell you. Aphrael interfered. Sh- Danae was tired of being an only child."

"Aphrael always interferes," Yuka said, thoughtfully. "That's why I worship Setras. He might be a bit scatter-brained, but he doesn't demand kisses all the time."

The Queen's Champion laughed. "That's true. You get used to it. Aphrael is lovely, really."

"You're only saying that because she might be listening," Yuka accused.

"What happened to the formalities?" Sparhawk shot back. Before Yuka could answer, the barman came over and took their order. They took the drinks back to the table. By that time, Ulath had joined them.

"Hello, Sparhawk," he greeted his friend.

"Morning, Ulath," Sparhawk replied, sitting.

"Oh, Yuka, before you get comfortable- Tynian wants to see you," the Genidian said before the girl sat down.

"Alright," she said, more than a little apprehensive. "Where is he?"

"In his rooms," Ulath replied. Yuka nodded and left.

She knocked on the door, and it was opened immediately. "Hello," Tynian said. "Come in, sit down." She did so, nervously. He sat too. "What happened last night?" Obviously, the Deiran was not one to beat about the bush. She decided to make things as simple as possible.

"Something woke me up, and I heard Bevier outside. I got up to see who it was, I think I surprised him. He went away when I came out, what was wrong with him?"

"It doesn't matter, Yuka," Tynian replied, sounding relieved. "He was a little bit worried, that's all. He's like that sometimes." He paused. "Bevier's a good lad."

"I can tell," she said softly. "He seems very nice."

"He is, really." A gong sounded somewhere in the inn. "Well, I won't keep you from your breakfast any longer. I want to go and see if he's alright. You go on down and get some food."

Yuka smiled at him and left the room.

She really, really liked Sir Tynian.

~o~


	7. Chapter 7

Breakfast was being served as she entered the taproom. She went over and joined the table where her companions sat, eating. Sparhawk and the others looked up as she sat.

"Did you sort it out?" the big Pandion asked. Yuka nodded.

"I hope so. What's for breakfast?"

"I don't care," Berit muttered, "as long as it isn't cooked by Kalten." Yuka looked at him sympathetically.

"Is it all that bad?" she asked.

"No," Kalten said immediately. Khalad shot a glare at him.

"Yes," he corrected. Yuka giggled nervously. Just then the cook brought out a platter of food: eggs, strong coffee and bacon. Yuka wrinkled her nose and took a small plate of eggs.

"Styric prejudices," sighed Kalten, loading his plate. Yuka narrowed her eyes at him and picked at her food. She wouldn't touch bacon, and coffee made her sick. Altogether, she hated Elene food, but she wasn't going to offend her companions or the cook by saying it.

It was some time later when Bevier and Tynian arrived. The Deiran grinned at her, but Bevier resolutely avoided her gaze. As they sat down, she finished her food, whispered a goodbye and went to her room, slightly miserable. She had wanted to avoid confrontations or anything like that, and she hadn't really argued with anyone, but it seemed she had caused offence to the religious Cyrinic.

She lay on her back on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling and thinking. So when the dark room filled with a bright blue light, it cause her quite a fright. The terror faded when she heard a familiar voice.

"Sister," the voice said. "It is I, Damare. Do you hear me?"

"I hear you," she whispered.

"This is how I can contact you," Damare replied. "I sense unease in you and your companions. Is something wrong, sister?"

Yuka sighed, and explained sadly. The voice of Damare stayed silent for a second.

"Be careful of Sir Bevier, Yuka. I believe he is easily hurt. Try not to cause unnecessary pain."

"I- I don't know what you're talking about, sister…" Yuka whispered. Damare sighed.

"You will do, Yuka. Listen- he is ashamed of what happened last night, but he is not good with apologies. I believe he thinks you dislike him now. Please be nice, dear sister."

"I will, Lady," Yuka said softly.

"Good girl. I'm glad you reached Chyrellos safely. If you have any trouble, contact me using this necklace. I will aid you all I can, dear one. I must go. Good luck, Yuka."

"Goodbye, Damare," Yuka replied, and the blue light faded and was gone.

Just in time, too. There was a knock on her door, and she sat up quickly, tucking the necklace back inside her robes. "Yes?" she called. "Come in."

Khalad popped his head around the door. "Sparhawk says we're leaving in a few minutes, if you feel ready."

"I'm ready," she said quickly, hopping off the bed and going to the door. Khalad moved out of the way for her to pass.

"The others are out saddling the horses," he said, following her down the stairs. "Did you have enough to eat?"

"Yes, Khalad," she replied impatiently. "Don't you start clucking over me like a mother hen. I've had enough of that from…" She stopped, one hand to her mouth. Khalad didn't press her.

"I'm sorry," she said after a long pause, broken only by their footsteps. "I didn't mean to lose my temper."

"Don't worry, Yuka," he replied, a hand on her shoulder. "I know you well enough not to take offence at what you say- you never mean it." She turned and smiled at him.

"Thanks," she said.

"No charge," he answered. "Go on, hurry up. The others are waiting."

Their companions had finished saddling the horses by the time they reached the stables.

"What took you so long?" Kalten said grumpily. Yuka noticed that Bevier still avoided her gaze.

"We were talking," she replied distractedly, taking her white saddle from the wall. Her good-natured horse stood still while she saddled her, and only trod on Yuka's foot once.

When they were ready, they rode out. They took the east gate, which was the nearest, rather than riding through the streets of Chyrellos, and rode on the road around the Holy City. They moved at a steady pace, not too fast so as not to tire the horses too quickly. Yuka decided she had to break the wall between her and Bevier. She slowed a little so he came up beside her.

"How far is it to the Zemoch border?" she asked, as conversationally and in as friendly a tone as she could.

"About three hundred and fifty leagues," he replied flatly.

"Oh. Quite a way, then."

"Indeed." There was an awkward pause.

"That's an evil looking axe," she said hesitantly, looking at his deadly Lochaber in the sling at the side of his saddle. "It must decapitate someone just like that," she snapped her fingers.

"It does," he replied, his voice no less flat. "You're much more bloodthirsty than the Lady Sephrenia was."

"Maybe I am," she mused. "I'm just not so averted to death as she is. I'm sort of used to it."

There was another long silence. Yuka hated uncomfortable pauses like that.

"So… um… What's it like- being a novice in the Cyrinic order? M-my youngest brother is wanting to start his novitiate. He's half-Styric, like me, but he worships the Elene God and he looks more Elene than me."

"It's generally less religious than the other orders," Bevier replied quietly. "It's hard work. They work you very hard. It took me two years longer than the other boys my age to get my knighthood." He fell silent. Yuka felt slightly embarrassed. It was clearly an uncomfortable topic for him.

"This is good road for the horses," she contemplated, almost to herself.

"It's a bit gravelly," Bevier replied. He didn't say anything else. With one hand, Yuka absently fiddled with her necklace.

"I'm only half-Styric," she said quietly. "It's been bothering me for a while. What if I can't touch the rings because of my Elene blood?"

"Are you more Styric than Elene?" he asked.

"My mother was Styric. My father was… he was half-Styric, now I think of it… at least half Elene, though."

"Then you're three-quarters Styric," he said. "I don't think you'll have much trouble." There was a tiny amount of doubt in his voice. She was more worried than she made out, too.

Yuka knew what was coming, and it did: another long silence. She was relieved when Kalten called to her from the front of the group. She rode forward to catch up.

"Yes, Kalten?"

"Can you settle this debate for us? Moon-face here thinks the First Ring is at the foot of a whirlpool in a bay somewhere. I say it's in a lake somewhere. Help?" Tynian looked hopeful, too. Yuka sighed.

"I don't really know, you two. Lady Damare told me that the First Ring hated salt water- so I think you're right, Kalten. Sorry, Tynian." The Deiran laughed good-humouredly.

"Ah, well, I can't be right all the time. We'll see when we get there, though." Yuka had a flash of inspiration.

"Why don't we ask Bevier? Didn't he do a study of history? Surely that'd include the history of the Rings?"

"Good idea, Yuka," Kalten said. He called the young Arcian up and explained the debate. Bevier thought, looking slightly uncomfortable at Yuka's presence.

"From what I've studied, the First Ring hates salt water. I think Kalten's right, for once. Of course, no one's really sure."

"Three against one, Tynian," Kalten said triumphantly. "I win."

"It wasn't a competition," Tynian grinned. He pulled out a map. "From the looks of this, the only big lake in the country is Lake Verka. We'll be heading there, I guess."

"I suppose so…" Yuka whispered sadly, letting her horse drop behind slightly. She had made the effort, at least.


End file.
